Toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush comprises: a main body including a handle wall portion defining a rear passage portion, and formed with an elongate slot, the slot being in spatial communication with the rear passage portion; a toothpaste material received in the handle wall portion; and a driving member extending through the slot into the handle wall portion. The driving member is slidable along the slot so that the toothpaste material is moved forwardly onto a bristle mounting surface along the rear passage portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 100132623, filed on Sep. 9, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a toothbrush, and more particularly to a toothbrush having a toothpaste material and a driving member operable with one finger to drive the toothpaste material to move out of the toothbrush.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional toothbrush kit suitable for use in hotels, motels, hospitals and etc. The conventional toothbrush kit includes a toothbrush 81 and a squeezable toothpaste container 82 separated from the toothbrush 81. In use, the toothpaste container 82 is squeezed so as to apply a toothpaste material 80 from the toothpaste container 82 onto bristles of the toothbrush 81.

FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional toothbrush 83 with a toothpaste material 80 received in a hollow handle 834 of the toothbrush 83. A plunger 835 is inserted into the hollow handle 834 in order to drive movement of the toothpaste material 80 out of a brush head 832 of the toothbrush 83 onto bristles 831 of the toothbrush 83. However, operation of the plunger 835 to drive the toothpaste material 80 is inconvenient.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,570 discloses a toothbrush including a head portion, a hollow handle portion formed with a slot, a squeezable toothpaste container received in the handle portion and receiving a toothpaste material therein, and a driving member mounted slidably on the handle portion and slidable along the slot for squeezing the toothpaste container. The handle portion has a rear open end defining an end opening for insertion of the toothpaste container therethrough into the handle portion and provided with a cover for covering the end opening. The slot has two closed ends disposed adjacent to the rear open end of the handle portion and the head portion, respectively. A rear segment of the handle portion is gradually enlarged in perimeter in a direction toward the rear open end of the handle portion in order to permit the driving member to yield thereat for passage of the toothpaste container into the handle portion. The aforesaid toothbrush is disadvantageous in that operation of the driving member to squeeze the squeezable toothpaste container is laborious.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,492 discloses a toothbrush including a head portion, a hollow handle portion having a threaded open end that is adapted to be connected to a threaded mouth of a squeezable toothpaste container, and formed with a slot distal from the threaded open end, and a driving member mounted slidably on the handle portion and slidable along the slot for driving a toothpaste material received in the handle portion. The aforesaid toothbrush is disadvantageous in that a significant amount of the toothpaste material disposed between the threaded open end and the slot cannot be driven by the driving member, which results in a waste of the toothpaste material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toothbrush. The toothbrush comprises: a main body including a head wall portion, a handle wall portion connected to and disposed behind the head wall portion, and an inner passage having a front passage portion formed in the head wall portion, and a rear passage portion formed therethrough the handle wall portion and connected to the front passage portion, the head wall portion having a bristle mounting surface, the front passage portion extending through the bristle mounting surface, the handle wall portion having a rear free end, extending rearwardly from a rear end of the head wall portion along the length of the main body, and being formed with an elongate slot, the rear passage portion having an end opening at a rear end thereof, the slot being in spatial communication with the rear passage portion, having a front end disposed between the headwall portion and the rear free end of the handle wall portion, and extending along the length of the main body from the front end through the rear free end of the handle wall portion, the rear passage portion having a paste receiving segment disposed between the front passage portion and the front end of the slot; a toothpaste material received in the paste receiving segment of the rear passage portion and having a rear end; a driving member extending through the slot and into the rear passage portion and having an operating end disposed on an exterior of the handle wall portion, and a driving end disposed in the rear passage portion and in contact with the rear end of the toothpaste material in the paste receiving segment of the rear passage portion, the driving member being slidable along the slot so as to push the toothpaste material to move forwardly along the front and rear passage portions; and a plurality of bristles mounted on the bristle mounting surface.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toothbrush that comprises: a main body including a headwall portion, a handle wall portion extending rearwardly from a rear end of the head wall portion along the length of the main body, and an inner passage having a front passage portion formed in the head wall portion, and a rear passage portion formed in the handle wall portion and connected to the front passage portion, the head wall portion having a bristle mounting surface, the front passage portion extending through the bristle mounting surface, the handle wall portion having a first segment and a second segment connected to the first segment, the first segment having a rear end face, the rear passage portion being formed in the first segment and through the rear end face, and having an end opening surrounded by the rear end face, the second segment defining an inner compartment that is in spatial communication with the end opening of the rear passage portion, and being formed with a slot in spatial communication with the inner compartment; a paste dispenser disposed in the inner compartment and including a barrel and a pump, the barrel having a front open end defining a paste chamber adapted to receive a toothpaste material therein, the pump including a drawing tube having a discharging end, an abutment flange secured to and protruding outwardly from the drawing tube, a cartridge extending into the paste chamber and secured to the front open end of the barrel, and an urging member, the drawing tube extending rearwardly into the cartridge in a direction and through the end opening of the rear passage portion into the rear passage portion in an opposite direction, the assembly of the barrel and the cartridge being telescopically movable relative to the assembly of the abutment flange and the drawing tube, the urging member urging the assembly of the barrel and the cartridge to move telescopically away from the assembly of the abutment flange and the drawing tube, the abutment flange constantly abutting against the rear end face of the first segment during telescopic movement between the assembly of the barrel and the cartridge and the assembly of the abutment flange and the drawing tube; and a driving member extending through the slot and into the inner compartment to connect with the barrel, and having an operating end disposed on an exterior of the second segment. The driving member is slidable along the slot to drive telescopic movement between the assembly of the barrel and the cartridge and the assembly of the abutment flange and the drawing tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional toothbrush;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of another conventional toothbrush;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a toothbrush according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a state where a driving member of the first preferred embodiment is disposed at a first position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating another state where the driving member of the first preferred embodiment is disposed at a second position;

FIG. 7 is a partly exploded perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a toothbrush according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment, illustrating a state where a driving member is disposed at a first position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment, illustrating a state where the driving member is disposed at a second position;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a paste dispenser of the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment, illustrating a state where a pump of the paste dispenser undergoes a pushing stage; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment, illustrating another state where the pump of the paste dispenser undergoes a suction stage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a toothbrush according to the present invention. The toothbrush includes: a main body 2 including a head wall portion 21, a handle wall portion 22 connected to and disposed behind the head wall portion 21, and an inner passage having a front passage portion 210 formed in the head wall portion 21, and a rear passage portion 220 formed through the handle wall portion 22 and connected to the front passage portion 210, the head wall portion 21 having a bristle mounting surface 211, the front passage portion 210 (see FIG. 5) extending through the bristle mounting surface 211, the handle wall portion 22 having a rear free end 221, extending rearwardly from a rear end of the head wall portion 21 along the length of the main body 2, and being formed with an elongate slot 222, the rear passage portion 220 having an end opening 2210 at a rear end thereof, the slot 222 being in spatial communication with the rear passage portion 220, having a front end 2221 that is disposed between the head wall portion 21 and the rear free end 221 of the handle wall portion 22, and extending along the length of the main body 2 from the front end 2221 through the rear free end 221 of the handle wall portion 22, the rear passage portion 220 having a paste receiving segment 2201 disposed between the front passage portion 210 and the front end 2221 of the slot 222; a toothpaste material 80 received in the paste receiving segment 2201 of the rear passage portion 220 and having a rear end 801; a driving member 23 extending through the slot 222 and into the rear passage portion 220 and having an operating end 231 disposed on an exterior of the handle wall portion 22, and a driving end 232 disposed in the rear passage portion 220 and in contact with the rear end 801 of the toothpaste material 80 in the paste receiving segment 2201 of the rear passage portion 220, the driving member 23 being slidable along the slot 222 so as to push the toothpaste material 80 to move forwardly along the front and rear passage portions 210, 220; a plurality of bristles 24 mounted on the bristle mounting surface 211; and a plug 25 inserted through the end opening 2210 of the rear passage portion 220 and into the rear passage portion 220 and covering the end opening 2210 of the rear passage portion 220.

In this embodiment, the driving member 23 includes a rod portion 233 disposed in the rear passage portion 220, a knob portion 234 disposed on an exterior of the handle wall portion 22, and a connecting portion 235 extending through the slot 222 and connected between the rod portion 233 the knob portion 234. The knob portion 234 defines the operating end 231 of the driving member 23. The rod portion 233 defines the driving end 232 of the driving member 23.

The paste receiving segment 2201 of the rear passage portion 220 has two opposite ends terminated at an adjacent end 2101 of the front passage portion 210 and the front end 2221 of the slot 222, respectively. The rod portion 233 has an insertion section 2331 (see FIG. 4) that extends from the driving end 232 of the driving member 23 to an adjacent end 2351 of the connecting portion 235 and that has a length substantially the same as that of the paste receiving segment 2201. The handle wall portion 22 further has a slot-defining surface 223 defining the front end 2221 of the slot 222. The driving member 23 is slidable along the slot 222 between a first position (see FIG. 5), in which the insertion section 2331 is disposed outside of the paste receiving segment 2201 and in which the knob portion 234 is spaced apart from the front end 2221 of the slot 222, and a second position (see FIG. 6), in which the insertion section 2331 is substantially entirely received within the paste receiving segment 2201 and in which the knob portion 234 is disposed at the front end 2221 of the slot 222 and abuts against the slot-defining surface 223.

The driving end 232 of the driving member 23 has a perimeter substantially the same as that of the rear passage portion 220.

By forming the slot 222 that extends through the rear free end 221 of the handle wall portion 22 of the toothbrush of this invention, the toothpaste material 80 can be filled into the paste receiving segment 2201 of the rear passage portion 220 prior to assembly of the driving member 23 and the plug 25 onto the handle wall portion 22. Hence, the aforesaid drawback of wasting toothpaste material as encountered in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,492 can be eliminated.

FIGS. 7 to 12 illustrate the second preferred embodiment of a toothbrush according to the present invention. The toothbrush includes: a main body 3 including a head wall portion 31, a handle wall portion 32 extending rearwardly from a rear end of the head wall portion 31 along the length of the main body 3, and an inner passage having a front passage portion 310 formed in the head wall portion 31, and a rear passage portion 320 formed in the handle wall portion 32 and connected to the front passage portion 310, the head wall portion 31 having a bristle mounting surface 311, the front passage portion 310 extending through the bristle mounting surface 311, the handle wall portion 32 having a first segment 321, a second segment 322, and a bell-shaped interconnecting segment 323 interconnecting the first and second segments 321, 322, the first segment 321 having an annular rear end face 3211 and being formed with the rear passage portion 320, the rear passage portion 320 extending through the rear end face 3211, and having an end opening 3201 surrounded by the rear end face 3211, the interconnecting segment 323 flaring rearwardly from a rear end of the first segment 321, and having a rear end 3231, the second segment 322 having a front end 3225 that is coupled detachably to the rear end 3231 of the interconnecting segment 323 (see FIG. 8), defining an inner compartment 3220 that is in spatial communication with the end opening 3201 of the rear passage portion 320, and being formed with a slot 3221 in spatial communication with the inner compartment 3220; a pump-type paste dispenser 4 disposed in the inner compartment 3220 and including a barrel 41, a pump 42 and a piston 44, the barrel 41 having a front open end 411 defining a paste chamber 410 adapted to receive a toothpaste material 80 therein, and a rear end wall 412 that is formed with at least one air hole 4120, the piston 44 being disposed movably in the paste chamber 410 and being in contact with a rear end of the toothpaste material 80, the pump 42 including a drawing tube 421 having a discharging end 4211 (i.e., front end), an abutment flange 422 secured to and protruding outwardly from the drawing tube 421, a cylindrical cartridge 423 extending into the paste chamber 410 and provided with an annular sleeve 4238 that is secured to the front open end 411 of the barrel 41, an urging member 424, and a valve mechanism, the drawing tube 421 extending into the cartridge 423 in a direction and through the end opening 3201 of the rear passage portion 320 into the rear passage portion 320 in an opposite direction, the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 being telescopically movable relative to the assembly of the abutment flange 422 and the drawing tube 421, the urging member 424 urging the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 to move telescopically away from the assembly of the abutment flange 422 and the drawing tube 421, the abutment flange 422 constantly abutting against the rear end face 3211 of the first segment 321 during relative telescopic movement between the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 and the assembly of the abutment flange 422 and the drawing tube 421, the valve mechanism being disposed in the cartridge 423 for controlling flow of the toothpaste material 80 from the cartridge 423 into the drawing tube 421 during a pushing stage of the pump 42 (see FIG. 11) and from the paste chamber 410 into the cartridge 423 during a suction stage of the pump 42 (see FIG. 12); a driving member 43 extending through the slot 3221 into the inner compartment 3220 to connect with the barrel 41, and having an operating end 431 disposed on an exterior of the second segment 322. The driving member 43 is slidable along the slot 3221 between a first position (see FIG. 8) and a second position (see FIG. 9) to drive relative telescopic movement between the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 and the assembly of the abutment flange 422 and the drawing tube 421; and a plurality of bristles 24 mounted on the bristle mounting surface 311.

In this embodiment, the interconnecting segment 323 defines an inner space 3230 therein (see FIG. 8). The urging member 424 is sleeved on the drawing tube 421 and abuts against the abutment flange 422. The urging member 424 and the abutment flange 422 are received in the inner space 3230 in the interconnecting segment 323.

The drawing tube 421 is formed with a valve opening 451. The valve mechanism includes a first valve 45 secured in the cartridge 423 for closing and opening the valve opening 451 (see FIGS. 10 to 12), and a second valve 46 (in the form of a resiliently flexible film) secured to an inner wall of the cartridge 423 at an outer periphery thereof and spaced apart from the first valve 45 for closing and opening an end opening 4230 in the end wall 4235 of the cartridge 423 (see FIGS. 10 to 12). The cartridge 423 has a free end wall 4235 that defines the end opening 4230. The second valve 46 is disposed adjacent to the free end wall 4235, is formed with an annular hole 4610 and is resiliently and flexibly deformable. When the driving member 43 together with the assembly of the cartridge 423 and the barrel 41 is disposed at the first position (see FIG. 8), the valve opening 451 is closed by the first valve 45 (see FIG. 10) and the end opening 4230 in the end wall 4235 of the cartridge 423 is closed by the second valve 46.

The driving member 43 includes a sleeve portion 432 disposed in the inner compartment 3220, and a knob portion 433 extending from the sleeve portion 432, received in the slot 3221, and defining the operating end 431. The barrel 41 is provided with an annular flange 416 disposed adjacent to the front open end 411 of the barrel 41 and protruding outwardly therefrom. The sleeve portion 432 is sleeved on the barrel 41 and abuts against the annular flange 416 so as to permit the driving member 43 to drive movement of the barrel 41 together with the cartridge 423 relative to the drawing tube 421. The second segment 322 of the handle wall portion 32 is formed with at least one inner guiding groove. The sleeve portion 432 of the driving member 43 is formed with at least one guiding tongue extending into the guiding groove so as to guide sliding movement of the driving member 43 on the second segment 322 along the slot 3221. The slot 3221 has a front end 3221 a, and is defined by a slot defining surface 3222. The knob portion 431 has a front end spaced apart from the front end 3221 a of the slot 3221 when the driving member 43 is disposed at the first position (see FIG. 8), and disposed at the front end 3221 a of the slot 3221 and abuts against the slot defining surface 3222 when the driving member 43 is disposed at the second position (see FIG. 9).

In operation, when the driving member 43 together with the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 is moved from the first position (see FIGS. 8 and 10) toward the second position (see FIGS. 9 and 11), a front end wall 4231 of the cartridge 423 comes into contact with a shoulder 4211′ of the drawing tube 421, and the drawing tube 421 is retracted into the cartridge 423, which results in exposure of the valve opening 451 to the toothpaste material 80 in the cartridge 423 and flattening of the second check valve 461 to close the end opening 4230 in the end wall 4235 of the cartridge 423, thereby permitting the toothpaste material 80 to flow from the cartridge 423 through the valve opening 451 into the drawing tube 421. On the contrary, when the driving member 43 together with the assembly of the barrel 41 and the cartridge 423 is moved from the second position toward the first position by the urging action of the urging member 424, the drawing tube 421 is moved forwardly relative to the cartridge 423, which results in generation of a vacuum in the cartridge 423, which, in turn, results in deformation of the second valve 461 to open the end opening 4230 in the end wall 4235 of the cartridge 423 and drawing of an ambient air through the air hole 412 into the paste chamber 410 to push the barrel piston 44 (not shown), thereby permitting flow of the toothpaste material 80 from the barrel 41 through the end opening 4230 and the annular hole 4610 into the cartridge 423.

With the inclusion of the pump-type paste dispenser in the tooth brush of this invention, the toothpaste material 80 can be easily drawn from the barrel 41 onto the bristle mounting surface 311 of the head wall portion 31 by operating the driving member 43.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A toothbrush, comprising: a main body including a head wall portion, a handle wall portion connected to and disposed behind said head wall portion, and an inner passage having a front passage portion formed in said head wall portion, and a rear passage portion formed through said handle wall portion and connected to said front passage portion, said head wall portion having a bristle mounting surface, said front passage portion extending through said bristle mounting surface, said handle wall portion having a rear free end, extending rearwardly from a rear end of said head wall portion along the length of said main body, and being formed with an elongate slot, said rear passage portion having an end opening at a rear end thereof, said slot being in spatial communication with said rear passage portion, having a front end disposed between said head wall portion and said rear free end of said handle wall portion, and extending along the length of said main body from said front end through said rear free end of said handle wall portion, said rear passage portion having a paste receiving segment disposed between said front passage portion and said front end of said slot; a toothpaste material received in said paste receiving segment of said rear passage portion and having a rear end; a driving member extending through said slot and into said rear passage portion and having an operating end disposed on an exterior of said handle wall portion, and a driving end disposed in said rear passage portion and in contact with said rear end of said toothpaste material in said paste receiving segment of said rear passage portion, said driving member being slidable along said slot so as to push said toothpaste material to move forwardly along said front and rear passage portions; and a plurality of bristles mounted on said bristle mounting surface.
 2. The toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a plug inserted through said end opening of said rear passage portion and into said rear passage portion and covering said end opening of said rear passage portion.
 3. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said driving member includes a rod portion disposed in said rear passage portion, a knob portion disposed on an exterior of said handle wall portion, and a connecting portion extending through said slot and connected between said knob portion and said knob portion, said knob portion defining said operating end of said driving member, said rod portion defining said driving end of said driving member.
 4. The toothbrush of claim 3, wherein said paste receiving segment of said rear passage portion has two opposite ends terminated at an adjacent end of said front passage portion and said front end of said slot, respectively, said rod portion having an insertion section that extends from said driving end of said driving member to an adjacent end of said connecting portion and that has a length substantially the same as that of said paste receiving segment, said handle wall portion having a slot-defining surface that defines said front end of said slot, said driving member being slidable along said slot between a first position, in which said insertion section is disposed outside of said paste receiving segment and in which said knob portion is spaced apart from said front end of said slot, and a second position, in which said insertion section is substantially entirely received within said paste receiving segment and in which said knob portion is disposed at said front end of said slot and abuts against said slot-defining surface.
 5. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said driving end of said driving member has a perimeter substantially the same as that of said rear passage portion.
 6. A toothbrush comprising: a main body including a head wall portion, and a handle wall portion, extending rearwardly from a rear end of said head wall portion along the length of said main body, and an inner passage having a front passage portion formed in said head wall portion, and a rear passage portion formed in said handle wall portion and connected to said front passage portion, said head wall portion having a bristle mounting surface, said front passage portion extending through said bristle mounting surface, said handle wall portion having a first segment and a second segment connected to said first segment, said first segment having a rear end face, said rear passage portion extending through said rear end face, and having an end opening surrounded by said rear end face, said second segment defining an inner compartment that is in spatial communication with said end opening of said rear passage portion, and being formed with a slot in spatial communication with said inner compartment; a paste dispenser disposed in said inner compartment and including a barrel and a pump, said barrel having a front open end defining a paste chamber adapted to receive a toothpaste material therein, said pump including a drawing tube having a discharging end, an abutment flange secured to and protruding outwardly from said drawing tube, a cartridge extending into said paste chamber and secured to said front open end of said barrel, and an urging member, said drawing tube extending into said cartridge in a direction and through said end opening of said rear passage portion into said rear passage portion in an opposite direction, the assembly of said barrel and said cartridge being telescopically movable relative to the assembly of said abutment flange and said drawing tube, said urging member urging the assembly of said barrel and said cartridge to move telescopically away from the assembly of said abutment flange and said drawing tube, said abutment flange constantly abutting against said rear end face of said first segment during telescopic movement between the assembly of said barrel and said cartridge and the assembly of said abutment flange and said drawing tube; and a driving member extending through said slot and into said inner compartment to connect with said barrel, and having an operating end disposed on an exterior of said second segment, said driving member being slidable along said slot to drive telescopic movement between the assembly of said barrel and said cartridge and the assembly of said abutment flange and said drawing tube.
 7. The toothbrush of claim 6, wherein said handle wall portion further has an interconnecting segment interconnecting said first and second segments, said interconnecting segment flaring rearwardly from said first segment and having a rear end, said second segment having a front end that is coupled detachably to said rear end of said interconnecting segment.
 8. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein said interconnecting segment has a bell shape and defines an inner space therein, said urging member being sleeved on said drawing tube and abutting against said abutment flange, said urging member and said abutment flange being received in said inner space in said interconnecting segment.
 9. The toothbrush of claim 6, wherein said driving member includes a sleeve portion disposed in said inner compartment, and a knob portion extending from said sleeve portion, received in said slot, and defining said operating end, said barrel being provided with an annular flange protruding therefrom, said sleeve portion being sleeved on said barrel and abutting against said annular flange. 